Semiconductor pioneer and former University of Pennsylvania professor, Elias Burstein, died on June 17 at his home in Bryn Mawr aged 99, writes Dylan Loeb McClain for The New York Times.

Born in Brooklyn on September 30, 1917, Professor Burstein was a dedicated physicist for over seven decades and did a lot of his research while he was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. During his time there, he conducted research on semiconductors and insulators and held patents on ways to increase semiconducting capacity.

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Among his pioneering work, Professor Burstein discovered the mechanisms behind inelastic light scattering which happens when molecules transition to another energy level. This is used to analyze the makeup of different materials and decide whether they are a gas, liquid or solid.

During his lifetime he published over 200 scientific papers and edited several books. Also, along with Professor Robert Hughes and Robert Madden, he founded the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter.

He finally retired from the full time faculty in 1988, but continued to regularly work with students as an emeritus professor. He is survived by his wife Rena, three daughters and two grandchildren.

Read more about Elias Burstein’s life at The New York Times by clicking here.

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